Sunday, September 30, 2007

Not long ago, the satirical newspaper The Onion ran a fake news story that began like this:

“At a well-attended rally in front of his new ground zero headquarters Monday, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani officially announced his plan to run for president of 9/11. ‘My fellow citizens of 9/11, today I will make you a promise,’ said Giuliani during his 18-minute announcement speech in front of a charred and torn American flag. ‘As president of 9/11, I will usher in a bold new 9/11 for all.’ If elected, Giuliani would inherit the duties of current 9/11 President George W. Bush, including making grim facial expressions, seeing the world’s conflicts in terms of good and evil, and carrying a bullhorn at all state functions.”

Like all good satire, the story made me both laugh and cry, because it reflected something so true — how much, since 9/11, we’ve become “The United States of Fighting Terrorism.” Times columnists are not allowed to endorse candidates, but there’s no rule against saying who will not get my vote: I will not vote for any candidate running on 9/11. We don’t need another president of 9/11. We need a president for 9/12. I will only vote for the 9/12 candidate.

What does that mean? This: 9/11 has made us stupid. I honor, and weep for, all those murdered on that day. But our reaction to 9/11 — mine included — has knocked America completely out of balance, and it is time to get things right again.

It is not that I thought we had new enemies that day and now I don’t. Yes, in the wake of 9/11, we need new precautions, new barriers. But we also need our old habits and sense of openness. For me, the candidate of 9/12 is the one who will not only understand who our enemies are, but who we are.

Before 9/11, the world thought America’s slogan was: “Where anything is possible for anybody.” But that is not our global brand anymore. Our government has been exporting fear, not hope: “Give me your tired, your poor and your fingerprints.”

You may think Guantánamo Bay is a prison camp in Cuba for Al Qaeda terrorists. A lot of the world thinks it’s a place we send visitors who don’t give the right answers at immigration. I will not vote for any candidate who is not committed to dismantling Guantánamo Bay and replacing it with a free field hospital for poor Cubans. Guantánamo Bay is the anti-Statue of Liberty.

Roger Dow, president of the Travel Industry Association, told me that the United States has lost millions of overseas visitors since 9/11 — even though the dollar is weak and America is on sale. “Only the U.S. is losing traveler volume among major countries, which is unheard of in today’s world,” Mr. Dow said.

Total business arrivals to the United States fell by 10 percent over the 2004-5 period alone, while the number of business visitors to Europe grew by 8 percent in that time. The travel industry’s recent Discover America Partnership study concluded that “the U.S. entry process has created a climate of fear and frustration that is turning away foreign business and leisure travelers and hurting America’s image abroad.” Those who don’t visit us, don’t know us.

I’d love to see us salvage something decent in Iraq that might help tilt the Middle East onto a more progressive pathway. That was and is necessary to improve our security. But sometimes the necessary is impossible — and we just can’t keep chasing that rainbow this way.

Look at our infrastructure. It’s not just the bridge that fell in my hometown, Minneapolis. Fly from Zurich’s ultramodern airport to La Guardia’s dump. It is like flying from the Jetsons to the Flintstones. I still can’t get uninterrupted cellphone service between my home in Bethesda and my office in D.C. But I recently bought a pocket cellphone at the Beijing airport and immediately called my wife in Bethesda — crystal clear.

I just attended the China clean car conference, where Chinese automakers were boasting that their 2008 cars will meet “Euro 4” — European Union — emissions standards. We used to be the gold standard. We aren’t anymore. Last July, Microsoft, fed up with American restrictions on importing brain talent, opened its newest software development center in Vancouver. That’s in Canada, folks. If Disney World can remain an open, welcoming place, with increased but invisible security, why can’t America?

We can’t afford to keep being this stupid! We have got to get our groove back. We need a president who will unite us around a common purpose, not a common enemy. Al Qaeda is about 9/11. We are about 9/12, we are about the Fourth of July — which is why I hope that anyone who runs on the 9/11 platform gets trounced.

Sometimes, The Gray-and-Completely-Out-Of-Touch Lady (a.k.a. The New York Times) gets it right.

No one has the nerve to brand this country’s purest systems of “socialized medicine” — the military and veterans hospitals — for what they are. In both systems, care is not only paid for by the government but delivered in government facilities by doctors who are government employees. Even so, a parade of Washington’s political dignitaries, including President Bush, has turned to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., for checkups and treatment, without ideological complaint. Politicians who deplore government-run health care for average Americans are only too happy to use it themselves.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

"Republicans are still angry about this MoveOn.org ad. You know, 'the General Petraeus, he betrayed us,' and the Senate actually voted to condemn the ad. That's what your government did yesterday - they held a vote to pass a resolution to condemn an ad with a pun in it. And then they had Oreos and braided each other's hair." - Bill Maher

Daniel Ellsberg, the guy who leaked the Pentagon Papers and was a big enough threat to Nixon for them to burglarize his psychiatrist's office, gave a rather frightening speech at a University Symposium.

This Executive Branch, under specifically Bush and Cheney, despite opposition from most of the rest of the branch, even of the cabinet, clearly intends a war against Iran which even by imperialist standards, standards in other words which were accepted not only by nearly everyone in the Executive Branch but most of the leaders in Congress. The interests of the empire, the need for hegemony, our right to control and our need to control the oil of the Middle East and many other places. That is consensual in our establishment. …

But even by those standards, an attack on Iran is insane. And I say that quietly, I don’t mean it to be heard as rhetoric. Of course it’s not only aggression and a violation of international law, a supreme international crime, but it is by imperial standards, insane in terms of the consequences.

WASHINGTON - The Army's top officer, General George Casey, told Congress yesterday that his branch of the military has been stretched so thin by the war in Iraq that it can not adequately respond to another conflict - one of the strongest warnings yet from a military leader that repeated deployments to war zones in the Middle East have hamstrung the military's ability to deter future aggression.

Ok, Republicans, let's see you smear the General for saying what you don't want to hear.

Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, the president called for renewed efforts to enforce the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a striking point of emphasis for a leader who's widely accused of violating human rights in waging war against terrorism.

Bush didn't mention the U.S. prisons in Afghanistan or at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. practice of holding detainees for years without legal charges or access to lawyers, or the CIA's "rendition" kidnappings of suspects abroad, all issues of concern to human rights activists around the world.

"At first read, it's little more than an exercise in hypocrisy. His words about human rights ring hollow because his credibility is nonexistent," said Curt Goering, the deputy executive director of Amnesty International USA. "The gap between the rhetoric and the actual record is stunning. I can't help but believe many people in the audience were thinking, 'What was this man thinking?' "

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Remember when Republicans pretending to be AGAINST big intrusive government?I guess that was bullshit, too.

The U.S. government is collecting electronic records on the travel habits of millions of Americans who fly, drive or take cruises abroad, retaining data on the persons with whom they travel or plan to stay, the personal items they carry during their journeys, and even the books that travelers have carried, according to documents obtained by a group of civil liberties advocates and statements by government officials.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

“This is clearly going to be the high point of this guy’s life. I can’t wait until he’s old, he’s got long hair, a long white beard, probably drooling, and he’ll tell everyone, Remember that day I got Tasered? That was me!” - Dave Barry

Monday, September 17, 2007

Washington — Congress should look at cutting off funding for the Iraq war if Senate efforts to change the role of U.S. troops in the battlefield fail, Sen. Ken Salazar said today.

Salazar, a Colorado Democrat, previously has not supported Congress using its ability to stop war payments in order to force President Bush to change direction.

While in Iraq over the weekend, Salazar said, some servicemen and women told him that they wanted Congress to cut off funding

You know, the Republicans try to create this totally ludicrous picture that if the war is defunded, it means the soldiers are still going to be sent into battle, they'll just have to fight with rocks and clubs. No. If it's defunded, it means Bush is going to have to do what the American people want, and stop this useless, foolish destructive war that has done nothing for America but harm.

It's time to stop hurting America; and it's time the Democrats stop enabling a lunatic who is hellbent on hurting America.

In response, a liberal anti-war group is running a $50,000 ad campaign against Giuliani in Iowa, which begins the presidential nominating process. The television ad from MoveOn.org Political Action, which will start airing next week, accuses Giuliani of a "betrayal of trust" for abandoning the Iraq Study Group.

"Rudy Giuliani has become an uncritical cheerleader for George Bush's war in Iraq," said Eli Pariser, the group's director. "Yet when he had the chance to actually do something about the war, he went AWOL."

I think the strategy of working up mountains of phony indignation because - GASP - someone criticized the dear, sweet General is really stupid. Patraeus' boss is a liar, and everyone knows it. Petraeus is his mouthpiece, and everyone knows it.

"How DARE you call me a liar?" only works if you have the reputation of being an honest man.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

"Ten years after Congress ordered federal agencies to have outside auditors review their books, neither the Defense Department nor the newer Department of Homeland Security has met even basic accounting requirements, leaving them vulnerable to waste, fraud and abuse.

"An Associated Press review shows that the two departments’ financial records are so disorganized and inconsistent that they have repeatedly earned “disclaimer” opinions, meaning that they simply cannot be fully audited.

“It means we really can’t put any faith in the numbers they use,” said Ross Rubenstein, who teaches public administration at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School."

I honestly wonder if this is by design, to make it easy to COMMIT fraud. "Ooops. Sorry. We have no records."

Thursday, September 13, 2007

As God is my witness, that's what he says. With a straight face. Well, no more of a smirk than usual, at least.http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/5821.html

"President Bush will use his Oval Office address Thursday to offer what an aide calls a “plan for success in Iraq” that dovetails with the numerical drawdown advised by Army Gen. David Petraeus, aides said."

Gee whiz, after only four years of abject failure, he's come up with a PLAN. I'm certainly resting easier. How about you?

By the way, that "drawdown"? Even if accuate, it leaves 135,000 troops. Same as the pre-surge numbers. No change.

Bush has no damned idea what he's doing, and is too damned egotistical to admit it.

If he had any honor, he'd resign after such a monumental failure, and after doing such damage to America. He should obey the will of the American People and resign.

America's best days may now be BEHIND her. We may never recover from the harm that Bush has done to this great nation, and it's that jackass's fault. Because he thought he knew everything when he knew NOTHING, and governed with his ego instead of his brain. And didn't care about a damned thing but lining his cronies' pockets.

“House Republican Leader John Boehner’s comments yesterday are deplorable and he should apologize immediately. Our brave men and women who have given their lives in service to our country and their families have made the ultimate sacrifice, and to say anything less is insulting to their memories and service. Republicans stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that their Iraq policy is a failure, our troops are mired in a civil war and we’re not making the necessary political progress on the ground. Boehner’s comments show how truly out of touch the Republicans are. The loss of a son or daughter is never a small price to pay, especially for a policy which was initiated by Republicans who misled the nation about why we are there. The war in Iraq must end. We need to bring our troops home.”

Kerry:

"What a stunningly cavalier statement about the lives of the young men and women who serve our country.A single life is a large price to pay for any endeavor...Where is Representative Boehner's apology? And where is an Iraq policy equal to our soldiers' tremendous sacrifice?"

DCCC Head Chris Van Hollen:

“To belittle the sacrifice of more than 30,000 brave Americans killed or injured in Iraq as a ‘small price’ is reprehensible. Clearly, Minority Leader John Boehner will say anything to justify George Bush’s stay the course approach, but this damaging rhetoric has no place is the debate about the new direction needed in Iraq. Minority Leader Boehner owes our military and their families an apology for his hurtful comments that minimize their tragic loss.”

As Josh Marshall points out, let's see if this gets NEARLY the coverage of Kerry's botched troop joke.

The sound of the Shofar heralds the beginning of a new year and a time of remembrance and renewal for the Jewish people. During these holy days, men and women are called to reflect on their faith and to honor the blessings of creation.

The enduring traditions of Rosh Hashanah remind us of the deep values of faith and family that strengthen our Nation and help guide us each day. As Jewish people around the world come together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, it is a chance to look to the new year with hope and faith.

Laura and I send our best wishes for a blessed Rosh Hashanah and shanah tovah.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Dude? Rosh Hashanah starts on sunset of September 12th. You're a week early.

A progressive group of U.S. nuns has called on Congress to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney because of their roles in the war in Iraq.

“The National Coalition of American Nuns is impelled by conscience to call you to act promptly to impeach President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for ... high crimes and misdemeanors,” the group wrote in a letter written on behalf of its board members.

The letter says that impeachment is warranted for their “deceiving the public under the false pretense that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction” and “destroying” the reputation of the United States and the good will of other nations.

“The time for impeachment is now — before the example of George W. Bush’s regime is set in stone,” they wrote. “Future generations will thank you for preserving the freedom of our nation and its relation to the entire human community.”

The coalition was founded in 1969 for individual nuns dedicated to issues of social justice and human rights.

Do you think maybe we can convince some of the nuns to run in a primary against some spineless Democrat?

Thursday, September 06, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) - A federal judge struck down parts of the revised USA Patriot Act on Thursday, saying investigators must have a court's approval before they can order Internet providers to turn over records without telling customers.

It would be nice if the Democrats read it every now and then, themselves.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

The Arctic ice cap has collapsed at an unprecedented rate this summer and levels of sea ice in the region now stand at record lows, scientists have announced.

Experts say they are "stunned" by the loss of ice, with an area almost twice as big as the UK disappearing in the last week alone.

So much ice has melted this summer that the Northwest passage across the top of Canada is fully navigable, and observers say the Northeast passage along Russia's Arctic coast could open later this month.

If the increased rate of melting continues, the summertime Arctic could be totally free of ice by 2030.

Mark Serreze, an Arctic specialist at the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre at Colorado University in Denver, said: "It's amazing. It's simply fallen off a cliff and we're still losing ice."

The Arctic has now lost about a third of its ice since satellite measurements began thirty years ago, and the rate of loss has accelerated sharply since 2002.

Dr Serreze said: "If you asked me a couple of years ago when the Arctic could lose all of its ice then I would have said 2100, or 2070 maybe. But now I think that 2030 is a reasonable estimate. It seems that the Arctic is going to be a very different place within our lifetimes, and certainly within our childrens' lifetimes."

The problem with the whole PR surge is that Bush has lied CONSTANTLY about the situation in Iraq for YEARS. And everyone except the Supine Press Corps knows it.

And the rosy scenario he's spinning now is totally at odds with the statements of independent organizations like the GAO. So why would Americans believe HIM when he has almost never been honest about Iraq for 6 years now?

I mean, he told us that things were looking up in Iraq 4 years ago. And 3 years ago. And 2 years ago. And last year.

Simple question: does anybody believe that if the situation in Iraq had NOT improved - that we would actually be told that?

As usual, the Adman-In-Chief is focusing on Public Relations instead of reality.

EDWARDS: "The first day that I’m president I will close Guantanamo which I think is a national embarrassment. I will stop the practice of the illegal spying on the American people, which the President engaged in. No more secret prisons, no more torture or condoning torture.

It’s really an amazing thing that I have to say these things, it really is."

Is anybody else running for President saying it?

UPDATE: Mike Gravel is, and most people don't even know that he's a candidate:

Which leads to another question:

Why do we let media pundits decide which candidates are worth paying attention to, and which ones can be completely ignored?